If You Were POTUS, What Actions Would You Take If Your Secretary of State Used His/Her Own Email Server to Transmit Classified/SAP Info?

MSgt Ken "Airsoldier" Collins-Hardy — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 12:34:29 -0400

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2016 12:38 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 12:38:58 -0400

Fire that Sec of State

Response by SGT David T. made Jun 24 at 2016 12:41 PM

SGT David T. — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 12:41:20 -0400

The law is pretty clear on what to do regarding intentional or negligent disclosures.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Jun 24 at 2016 12:45 PM

SGM Erik Marquez — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 12:45:03 -0400

Immediate termination for lack of common knowledge, intentional criminal behaviour and utter lack of ability to do the right thing. Provide the USAG a directive to appoint special counsel and require NOT to be briefed during the investigation, only upon conclusion and viewing the recommendations.
If criminal charges are warranted, let the action proceed, if there are sufficient mitigating circumstances , that can be addressed at the punishment phase.
If a crime was committed, you prosecute, not fail to because it was an accident, the punishment phase is where you can show leniency should it be warranted.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2016 12:56 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 12:56:04 -0400

That Secretary of State should be subjected to the same scrutiny and actions any other person with a Security Clearance would have imposed to include:
~ Suspension of clearance.
~ A warrant authorizing the seizure of any data, documents and hardware relevent to the case.
~ A discussion with the FBI (with her attorney present of course) so his/her obsfucations can be placed on record (rather than just claims made on a stump speech that he/she is willing to discuss anything with investigators).

That's where I'd start.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2016 1:44 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 13:44:09 -0400

"You're Fired"

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2016 2:41 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 14:41:21 -0400

If I was a president who was keen on protecting and enforcing the US Constitution and all federally-enacted laws, I would pull a Trump (whom I do not like) and say, "You're FIRED!!!"

I am a devout follower of the Justice Antonin Scalia's School of Strict Constructionism.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2016 3:51 PM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 15:51:31 -0400

The same thing that happens to Servicemembers for mishandling classified information.

Response by SFC Charles Temm made Jun 24 at 2016 4:35 PM

SFC Charles Temm — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:35:21 -0400

Bust them or at least fire them.

Happens to those in the uniformed services, it should be the same for our rulers

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2016 4:37 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:37:38 -0400

First I would review the actual evidence to ensure the accusations were actually true. If they were true, I would suspend her clearance, remove her from her position and refer her for prosecution.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2016 4:39 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:39:00 -0400

I would hold him/her to the same standard I would hold an AF Msgt.

Response by SPC Kirk Gilles made Jun 24 at 2016 4:45 PM

SPC Kirk Gilles — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:45:34 -0400

A Sec of State who knew it was a policy violation and did it anyway would have to fired and face applicable laws. One who could be said to have violated policy through ignorance or mistake would be asked to resign. That's in a perfect world.

Response by MSG Jay Jackson made Jun 24 at 2016 4:47 PM

MSG Jay Jackson — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:47:24 -0400

Put her sorry pant suit wearing self in a cell after she is tried and convicted. Then give her Monica best selling book to read and make her listen to the Monica phone calls that Linda Tripp recorded. At the end of the day she should have to review the bio of the men killed in Libya. The next day repeat as necessary. After one month let her out but make her live in the worst part of Chicago with no security, no guns, just her wit and smile. What could go wrong? People love her right?

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2016 5:05 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 17:05:15 -0400

In the end it won't matter. Those who looked the other way and when President Clinton lied under oath which led to him eventually getting disbarred, will do the same for Secretary Clinton. The previous mantra of "he just lied about sex" will be replaced with equally erroneous "all the other Secretaries of State did the same thing".

Despite the fact that she continues to lie about lies that are well documented and in her own words, her minions will stand there and grobble at her feet and tell her that her clothes are magnificent.

Is it coincidence that damaging news like the attached article was released hours after the huge story of the day ... the Brexit, overshadowed all other news stories?

http://www.wsj.com/articles/hillary-clinton-failed-to-hand-over-key-email-to-state-department [login to see]

Hillary Clinton Failed to Hand Over Key Email to State Department

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton didn’t turn over a key email where she appeared to express concern about her correspondence being accessible by the public, the State Department acknowledged Thursday.

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made Jun 24 at 2016 6:46 PM

SGT Jerrold Pesz — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 18:46:07 -0400

Really not worth getting concerned about. Hillary has been a liar and a crook her entire life and nobody cares. I really doubt that she would be prosecuted if she committed mass murder live on worldwide TV.

Response by MSgt Richard Rountree made Jun 24 at 2016 8:56 PM

MSgt Richard Rountree — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 20:56:12 -0400

If I were POTUS, this issue would have never happened. There's no way I would have ever put someone into any Secretary slot with questionable ethics and a history of poor judgement. As POTUS, it's best to surround yourself with people that are not going to be just 'yes' men/women.

Response by Cpl Mark A. Morris made Jun 24 at 2016 9:27 PM

Cpl Mark A. Morris — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 21:27:53 -0400

Good evening,
My guess is POTUS, Home land Security, State Department and Justice all have their own and communicate that way. She is the only one?
M. Morris RVT

Response by Capt Michael Greene made Jun 25 at 2016 1:14 AM

Capt Michael Greene — Sat, 25 Jun 2016 01:14:08 -0400

Some related thoughts might give perspective:
a. When Truman told Stalin at Potsdam that we had an atomic bomb, should we have impeached the president for revealing Top Secret information?
b. When Deputy Director of the FBI, Mark Felt—AKA Deep Throat--gave Woodward and Bernstein sensitive FBI information about the Watergate investigation, was he a hero or a criminal?
c. Security clearances are not granted or denied by legal statute, they are determined by executive orders from their respective agencies. Department of Defense standards do not apply to other departments. Dept of Energy is different. State is different.
d. Senators and congress critters are not required to have security clearances. They are elected and put into office and shown classified material on a need to know basis whether they could qualify for a clearance or not.
e. Conviction under the Espionage Act is complicated. At the least, it requires proving that the defendant knowingly and intentionally made classified information available to a foreign state in bad faith, for the purpose of giving the foreign state an advantage, and to the detriment of the United States. Merely leaving a bunch of classified stuff insecure is an administrative problem, not a crime.
f. There have been several congressional investigations. The FBI committed 147 agents to investigate. Yet the most we can really say is: based on what we know today, she likely did violate government procedures and rules, but not the law.
g. As POTUS, I would consider this what it is: a successful and well-funded partisan effort to put a Republican in the White House.

Response by SGT Tony Clifford made Jun 25 at 2016 2:37 AM

SGT Tony Clifford — Sat, 25 Jun 2016 02:37:52 -0400

It's really simple, the law states the punishment for the improper handling of classified materials. I don't know why the president hasn't done anything. This is a scandal for which he really couldn't have been blamed. A high ranking government official mishandled classified information without the knowledge of anyone who she was accountable to and then attempted to cover up the evidence of wrongdoing. That's two separate felonies and Obama could be out front on this and treat her like any other government employee that misuses the office. I believe that James Comey is doing just that. The question is whether or not his recommendations will be taken into account. Truthfully the president was making the right call to not comment on an active investigation, but then he decided to endorse Clinton knowing that she was being investigated for crimes that could have seriously damaged the US and the president's reputation. The president should distance himself from her until after the FBI finishes its probe.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 25 at 2016 9:34 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 25 Jun 2016 21:34:56 -0400

Give them a big cuddly plush toy to hug . . . and a stern lecture about info / comm security?

Response by ENS Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 26 at 2016 2:37 AM

ENS Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 02:37:40 -0400

As an IT who understands the crucial importance of classification and document handling, I can honestly say I'd not only remove them from office, I'd ensure they were prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Removing any documentation, even Confidential is punishable.. Top Secret SCI.. that's absurd. Leaking that type of information can have grave consequences on a national scale, almost certainly costing the lives of others.. This is no petty offense..

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Jun 26 at 2016 9:38 AM

CPT Jack Durish — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 09:38:03 -0400

That would depend on how and when I learned of it. If asked permission to set up an unauthorized server I'd smack them alongside the head to see if they were conscious. If after it was operating, I'd use the kick in the butt to help them out the door.

Response by CW5 Andrew J. Foreman made Jun 26 at 2016 2:38 PM

CW5 Andrew J. Foreman — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 14:38:03 -0400

Fired and charged.

Response by Alan K. made Jun 26 at 2016 3:01 PM

Alan K. — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 15:01:06 -0400

With more laws against it than I have fingers and toes......First seize the server. Immediate suspension without pay, Revoke any security status, then let a computer forensics expert determine what happened and go from there. This is based on alleged. If caught in the act....Immediate Dismissal and taken into custody in addition to some of the above.

Response by Sgt Tom Cunnally made Jun 26 at 2016 4:11 PM

Sgt Tom Cunnally — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 16:11:15 -0400

I would call for a Special Prosecutor to investigate this issue

And give him or her complete power to get to a resolution of this issue without any political interference from my administration. And I would let the chips fall as they may when this investigation was completed.

But being a POTUS is just a bit above my pay grade and best I could do is be a guard at the White House and obey the orders of the day, after formal guard mount posting.

Response by LT Erik Frederick made Jun 26 at 2016 4:55 PM

LT Erik Frederick — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 16:55:57 -0400

I'd keep it simple and just use whatever precedent or existing rules are that would apply to a military officer who did that.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 26 at 2016 5:01 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 17:01:35 -0400

They would not be Secretary of anything.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 26 at 2016 6:48 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 18:48:13 -0400

God forbid, however, to quote ISIS, "off with her head", oh! sorry, I was really quoting the "queen of hearts". :-)

Response by CPT Pedro Meza made Jun 27 at 2016 2:23 PM

CPT Pedro Meza — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 14:23:18 -0400

If I was POTUS I would check to see if Snowden or the other idiots had access to that server, because it a strange crazy way her decisions my have been more secured; hide the secretes in plain site. I still laughing at all this, guys bitching about a woman out smarting Snowden and the others.